Packaging machine



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1N VENTOR. THOMAS L..COOK

ATTORNEYS Dec. 23, 1969 T. L. COOK 3,485,009

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 4, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG- 3 INVENTOR. THOMAS L. COOK ATTORNEYS T. L. codK PACKAGING MACHINE Dec. 23, 1969 Filed April 4, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 6

INVENTOR- THOMAS L. coox ATTORNEYS r. 1.. cooK PACKAGII qG MACHINE Dec. 23, 1969 5 $heets-Sheet Filed April 4, 1968 FIG. 8

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INVENTOR. THOMAS L. COOK ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,485,009 PACKAGING MACHINE Thomas L. Cook, 1320 Egbert Ave., San Francisco, Calif. 94124 Filed Apr. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 718,749 Int. Cl. B65b 23/14, 35/30, 57/14 US. C]. 53-55 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are numerous Ways in which a plurality of articles may be deposited in a suitable container or carton, and in many instances, it is necessary that some predetermined number of such articles be provided in each package. Certain articles lend themselves quite readily to previously used machines, but where the article is a food product, such as doughnuts, additional problems are presented.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, the apparatus of the present invention provides an apparatus which is capable of high speed filling of passages with a predetermined number of doughnuts or other articles. Additionally, the doughnut count may be selectively varied so that a greater or lesser number of articles may be deposited in the package. Although the disclosed apparatus is adapted for random packaging, the same concepts as hereinafter set forth can be incorporated with some suitable head mechanism which is capable of stacking or otherwise orienting the product.

The construction is such that crumbs falling from the doughnuts or coatings on the doughnuts will not interfere with the continued operation of the machine. In more detail, the apparatus is adapted to sequentially deliver open top boxes or cartons to the bottom of a filling spout. Doughnuts are delivered to a continuously moving conveyor and maintained in a plurality of single line columns until a predetermined but variable number of doughnuts are on the conveyor. Thus, while a feed conveyor is halted, preventing further delivery of doughnuts to the continuously moving discharge conveyor, the latter deposits the entire number into the filling spout and thus into the subjacent box. When the operation is completed, the filled box is conveyed away, a new box is brought into filling relationship, and the feed conveyor reactivated to deliver the doughnuts onto the discharge conveyor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a food packaging machine embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a portion of the machine.

Patented Dec. 23, 1969 FIGURE 8 is an enlarged detailed view of agitators.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged detailed view of the stop and release mechanism for cartons.

FIGURE 10 is an elevational view of the control mechanism on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 10, but showing the parts in another position.

FIGURE 12 is a modification of a portion of the machine for controlling the number of articles of food packaged in one carton.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In broad terms, the apparatus of the present invention, as shown in the drawings, includes a product delivery conveyor 10, a turntable 12 which receives the product from the conveyor, a plurality of guiding slots or channels 14 into which the product is delivered, a control head and discharge conveyor means 16, and a carton conveyor 18 which is adapted to deliver empty cartons for receiving the counted number of articles or products and remove the filled cartons.

Before describing the nature of operation, some explanation will be given of the major drive mechanisms for the machine. The entire machine is driven by a single source of power comprising a motor 20 mounted on the base of a table 22. The motor 20 through a pair of sprockets and a chain 24, drives a vertical shaft through a gear box 26. Shaft 25 through a pair of sprockets and a chain 28 drives a vertical shaft 30 which supports and drives the turntable 12. Shaft 30 is supported by a plurality of bearings mounted on table 22.

Shaft 25 through a gear box 34 also drives a horizontally disposed shaft 36. A sprocket 38 on shaft 36 through chain 40 drives a sprocket 42 on a horizontal shaft 44 located adjacent the rear end of turntable 12. Shaft 44 drives a continuous slatted belt 46 which forms a part of the delivery conveyor 10. Shaft 44 is rotatably supported by a pair of bearings attached to extensions 47 of frame 22.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, shaft 36 also drives a horizontal shaft 48 through a pair of sprockets and a chain 50. Shaft 48 through a pair of sprockets and a chain 52 in turn drives a head drum shaft 54 shown in FIG- URES l and 2.

Shaft 48 through a pair of sprockets and a chain 56 drives a head shaft 58. A sprocket 60 secured on the end of shaft 58 through a chain 62 drives a sprocket 64 secured on the end of a shaft 66. Shaft 58 also drives a shaft 68 through a pair of sprockets and a chain 70. Shaft 58 additionally drives a shaft 72 through a pair of sprockets and a chain 74 (shown in FIGURE 2). Shaft 72 is utilized to drive a shaker device 76 which will be hereinafter more fully described. Shafts 48, 58, and 72 are rotatably supported by bearings mounted on a frame member 77 extending from main frame 22.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1, 3 and 8, the shaft 25 through a pair of sprockets and a chain 78, drives an idler shaft 80 which drives a vertical shaft 82 through a pair of sheaves and V belt 84. Shaft 82 through a pair of sheaves and a belt 86 drives a stub shaft 88, the latter driving a hexagonal agitator 90 whose function will be hereinafter described. A sinuous chain drive 92 drives a plurality of similar hexagonal agitators 90 through a corresponding plurality of sprockets 94.

A food article or other product 100, such as doughnuts, are delivered from a source 102 to the slatted belt 46 of the delivery conveyor 10 which is supported by a frame 104, which in turn is pivotally supported on the horizontal shaft 44. The free end of frame 104 is adjustably supported by an adjustable brace 106 from frame 22, whereby the slope of the conveyor may be selectively varied. The

belt 46 moving in the direction of the arrows, delivers the doughnuts 100 to the turntable 12 in a random pattern.

The belt 46 meeting the turntable 12 at a tangent point leaves a pair of open corners 108 which are filled by a plurality of hexagonal conveyor shafts 110. Shafts 110 are driven by a series of gears (not shown) from a chain drive 112 on shaft 44. In this manner, all doughnuts on the belt will be properly deposited on the constantly rotating turntable.

As previously mentioned, the turntable 12 is rotatably supported by shaft 30 at its center, the table being further supported around its periphery by a plurality of rollers 114. A circumferential barrier 116 is provided around the periphery of turntable 12 to retain the doughnuts on the table. A stationary barrier or deflector 118 overlying and extending generally radially of the turntable guides the doughnuts 100 toward the throats of the guide channels 14 which extend generally tangentially of the table. A yieldable gate 120 confines the doughnuts to the area directly in front of said channels until they pile up, creating suflicient pressure to open the gate 120 against the tension of a spring 122 thereby permitting the doughnuts to enter each of such channels in a single column formation.

A frame comprising a pair of normally related angles 124 support the barriers 118 and 120 and also support a hinged flat 126 which rakes off piled up doughnuts being delivered to the turntable from the conveyor 10. The frame further supports an additional bridge 128 on which the previously described agitators 90 and their respective drives are mounted.

The frame 124 also partially supports the guiding means 14 which includes a cover plate 130 preferably formed of a clear transparent plastic, from which a plurality of divider strips 132 depend, as best shown in FIGURE 3. The strips 132, as shown in FIGURE 8, are positioned directly forwardly, i.e., in the direction of product movement of each agitator 90. The space between the strips 132 form the slots or channels 14 through which the doughnuts may pass in being discharged from the turntable. The agitators 90 are constantly rotating deflecting the doughnuts away from the ends of the strips and causing them to assume a position where they will freely enter the slots without danger of having one or more doughnuts forming a block or otherwise jamming across the channel openings. An intermittently driven feed conveyor belt 134 is positioned just under the turntables 12 at its approximate periphery and subjacent the channels 14, as best illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3. Belt 134 is driven by a head pulley 136 (FIGURE mounted on a shaft 138 which is journalled in a pair of bearings 139 on side frame members 140 and 142. Frame members 140 and 142 are supported from main frame 22 and a brace 14. A rear pulley, not shown, supports the other end of the belt.

Belt 134 is arranged for intermittent motion, and the drive mechanism for the belt is best seen in FIGURE 3. Previously described shaft 66 is driven at a constant speed and is journalled in a pair of bearings 144 mounted on frame members 140 and 142. A pinion 146 is secured on the end of shaft 66 and meshes with a second pinion 148 which rotates freely on a stub shaft 150 which is carried at one end of a fulcrumed lever 152. The opposite end of lever 152 is pivotally connected to a reach rod 154 of a solenoid 156. A tension spring 157 urges the rod downwardly and the lever 152 in a counterclockwise direction forcing the pinion 148 into engagement with a pinion 158 rigidly secured on the end of shaft 138. Thus it will be seen that belt 134 will be continuously driven so long as pinions 148 and 158 are in engagement, but will remain stationary upon solenoid actuation which raises the rod 154, moving the lever in a clockwise direction and disengaging the pinions 148 and 158.

A product discharge belt 160 in line with belt 134, is continuously driven by a head pul ey 62 r g y c red on shaft 68. A tail pulley 164 supports the free end of belt and is provided with a take-up in the form of slots 165 in side frames 140 and 142 (FIGURE 3). A chute 165 is positioned adjacent the head pulley 162 of belt 160 to funnel the doughnuts 100 into a carton 168 which is delivered subjacent the lower end of the funnel in a manner now to be described.

A conveyor system 166 for continuous supplying of open top cartons 168 is positioned under the belts 134 and 160. The conveyor system is supported by a channel frame member 170 attached to the main frame 22. A carton conveyor belt 172 is driven by a head pulley 174 secured on the shaft 54 and mounted within the channel frame 170. A tail pulley 176 is mounted on a shaft 177 in the opposite end of channel frame 170 and is provided with a take-up in the form of slots 179 in the frame. A pair of rails 178 are supported by the frame 170 adjacent opposite sides of the belt 172 to provide a means to retain the cartons 168 on the belt.

A stop and release mechanism 180 is provided for the cartons 168 and is best shown in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. A bracket 182 rigidly attached to channel frame 170 supports a fulcrum pin 184. A fulcrum lever 186 is pivotally mounted on pin 184 and is provided with a stop dog 188 adjustably positioned adjacent one end thereof, the other end having an arcuate upper edge 190 adapted to engage the bottom surface of a carton. Midway between fulcrum 184 and end 190, lever 186 is provided with a depending projection 192 adapted to be connected with the core of a solenoid 194, mounted on the frame member 77. The stop and release mechanism 180 is shown in its activated position with the solenoid in its energized position in the solid line representation of FIGURE 9. A tension spring 196 extending between frame 77 and a forward portion of lever 186 normally urges the arcuate edge 190 into engagement with cartons 168 frictionally arresting their forward movement, as shown in dotted lines. When solenoid 194 is actuated it will assume the full line position releasing a carton held frictionally by the lever end 190 to a position where the carton 168 will be held in the loading position by the stop 188 during the filling cycle.

Guiding slots 14 guide doughnuts 100 traveling on feed conveyors 134 to a plurality of aligned slots or channels generally indicated by the numeral 200 (FIG- URE 4) which extend from the slots 14 to their termination at a point 202 (FIGURE 5) just short of the end of the discharge belt 160. The slots 200 are formed by a plurality of inverted telescoping elements comprising a fixed section 204 and a movable section 206 most clearly shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6. Sections 204 are supported by a bridge 208 carried by the frame members 140 and 142, such bridge being preferably formed of a clear plastic.

Sections 206 are connected to and depend from a cover plate 210 which is likewise preferably formed of a clear plastic. Cover plate 210 is supported by a pair of hangers 212 extending to a bridge angle 214 where the hangers are adjustably secured in place by flanged cap screws 216.

Means 218 are provided overlying belt 160 and adapted to engage the doughnuts 100 to provide additional friction between the doughnuts and belt 160. Such means include plurality pressure rollers 220 free to rotate on their axes, and carried at one end of arms 222. The other end of each arm is free to pivot on a shaft 224, supported by brackets 226 which are mounted on cover plate 210. Rollers 220 project through windows 227 in cover plate 210 and extend into the respective channels 200.

A second set of roller means 228 overlying belt 160 are provided to form a circuit breaker for controlling the operation of the apparatus. Each roller is carried at one end of an arm 230, being provided for each slot 200. Arms 230 are rigidly fixed at their other ends to a transverse shaft 232, the latter being provided with a counter-. weight 234 (FIG RE The free ends of arms 230 are provided with a pair of rollers 236 free to turn on their axis. One of the arms 230 is provided with a leaf spring 237 to engage the actuating roller of a microswitch 238. Shaft 232 is pivotally journalled in upturned ends 240 of a pair of slides 242 (FIGURES 3 and 5), such ends 240 also support the previously described bridge angle member 214. Each slide 242 is held in a slideable position by a pair of guides 244 attached to frame members 140 and 142. Secured to slides 242 is a handle, in the form of a rod 245 and provides a means to adjustably position the slides 242.

A gate mechanism, generally indicated by numeral 246, controls the selected number of doughnuts which are delivered to the cartons 168. One individual gate 248 is provided for each slot or channel 200 and is supported by a shaft 250, being free to oscillate thereon the shaft 250 being journalled in slides 242.

Each gate 248, best shown in FIGURES and 11, comprises a hub section 252 carried on shaft 250 provided with a depending gate portion 254 and an arcuate switch engaging portion 256. The arcuate portion 256 is provided with a slot 258. The lower end of arcuate portion 256 is also provided with an adjustable counterweight 260. A rod 262 extends through all of the slots 258 and is rigidly connected at each end to a pair of arms 264 which are rigidly secured on shaft 250. One end of shaft 250 is provided with an adjustable counter-weight 266 and the opposite end of the shaft is provided with a lever 268. The free end of lever 268 is connected to a rod 270 from a solenoid 272 supported by a pair of angles 273 secured to slides 242.

A pair of brackets 274 support a housing 276 containing a plurality of microswitches 278 adapted to be activated individually by the arcuate portions 256 of gates 248, each of the gates having an associated microswitch. Microswitch 238 is also mounted in housing 276. Brackets 274 are positioned adjacent the inside face of side frames 140 and 142, and are provided with elongated bosses 280 (FIGURES 4 and 6), projecting into slots 282 in side frames 140 and 142. Brackets 274 are provided with an aperture 283 in which shaft 250 is journalled.

In the preceding mechanism the tripping of the gates requires the proper amount of pressure from the frictional engagement of the doughnuts on belt 160. Another means to trip the gates, would be to provide a microswitch for each position a doughnut was to occupy. When the required number of doughnuts were in position all the microswitches would be closed to complete the circuit to trip the gates.

It will be seen from the foregoing that all the functional parts of the gating and numerical control of the doughnuts delivered to the cartons are supported by the slides 242, and the effective length of the belt 160 accommodating the required number of doughnuts may be varied by pushing or pulling the rod handle 245. The numerical count of doughnuts is also controlled by a bridging member 285 (FIGURE 5) positioned between belt 134 and belt 160. While doughnuts are being ejected from the belt 160 when gates 254 are raised, the movement of belt 134 is interrupted. Therefore, doughnuts 100 in a dead position on the bridge 285 will remain in such halted position until belt 134 is reactivated, wherein they will be pushed onto belt 160 by the doughnuts following on belts 134. The number of doughnuts delivered by the belt 160 in each channel 200 may be altered by altering the bridge 285 such as shown in FIGURE 12 wherein the bridge 285a is provided with an enlarged area 285b overlying conveyor 160 which will retain two doughnuts. In this manner, the design of the bridge may effectively control the delivery of a desired quantity since a greater or lesser number of doughnuts may be introduced onto the belt 160 in the respective channels 200. It should be understood that although belt 160 is continuously driven, when the gates 254 are in their closed position, the belt,

preferably Teflon coated, will merely slide under the doughnuts.

The functions and operation of the mechanism controlling the gating and numerical control will be best understood by referring to FIGURE 7. When a required number of doughnuts (in the preferred form illustrated in FIGURE 5 the required amount would be four. Inasmuch as there are four slots or rows the total amount would be sixteen) are accumulated, in one slot on belt 160, a sufficient pressure is exerted against the gate 254 causing it to oscillate in a clockwise direction against the pressure of counterweight 260 actuating its associated microswitch causing it to make or close contacts. Normally all microswitches 278 and 238 are open or broken contacts. The above condition of the gate and associated microswitch is illustrated in FIGURE 10 and the second gate from the left in FIGURE 7. Further oscillation of the gate 248 is arrested by the end of the slot engaging the rod 262. As each of the rows of doughnuts become filled with four doughnuts each gate will be oscillated in the above manner and its associated microswitch will be closed. When all the microswitches 278 and the single microswitch 238 are closed it will complete the circuit from the terminals 286. Completion of the circuit will energize the three solenoids 156, 194, and 272. Solenoid 194 will actuate arm 186 to allow a carton to move from a ready position indicated by R to a loading position shown in a dotted line at L, corresponding to the position shown in FIGURE 5 and the solid line showing of FIGURE 9. At the same instant, the solenoid 156 will rock arm 152 disengaging the pinions 148 and 158, disconnecting the drive to belt 134 and halting the delivery of doughnuts to belt 160. Simultaneously, solenoid 272 will rock lever 268, levers 264 and 250 in a counterclockwise direction as view in FIGURE 7. The rod 262 attached to the end of arms 264 will engage the upper end of slots 258, continued oscillation of arms 264 will rock the gates 248 into the full'open position shown in FIGURE 11, wherein the gate 254 permits movement of the doughnuts through chute 1.65 to the carton 168. After the last doughnut in each slot has passed the rollers 236, it will allow the arms 230 to drop causing the circuit to be broken to the solenoids allowing them to return to their normal position.

While the cartons 168 are being filled, also at a position L (FIGURE 2); they are subjected to a vibration caused by the shaker mechanism 76. This mechanism comprises a T-shaped member 288 fulcrumed on a shaft 290 secured in channel frame 170. The cross bar of the T is provided with cylindrical hammers 292 adapted to rap the carton conveyor belt 172 just under the cartons 168. The depending bar of the T 288 is provided with a slot to accept a rod connection 294. The opposite end of rod 294 is connected to an eccentric pin. 296 on the end of shaft 72. Rotation of shaft 72 will thus cause oscillation of the T member resulting in a sharp rapping of the cartons 168 to settle out any doughnuts that may be piled up in the carton.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for depositing articles. in a container, comprising an article discharge conveyor, means for delivering a plurality of articles to said conveyor in at least one discrete now, gate means normally blocking the discharge end of said conveyor, means opening said gate means when a predetermined number of said articles are in said row whereby said articles may be discharged from said discharge conveyor and into a container, and means operative upon opening of said gate means halting said article delivering means.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said discharge conveyor is continuously moving irrespective of the position of said gate means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which a plurality of article guide channels are provided overlying and in alignment with said discharge conveyor whereby a plurality of discrete rows of articles are formed on said conveyor.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said article delivering means includes a feed conveyor in alignment with said discharge conveyor, means driving said feed conveyor, and said last tamed being disengaged upon opening of said gate means.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including means defining an article guide channel overlying and in alignent With said feed conveyor for maintaining the articles in a discrete row on said feed conveyor.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including a stationary fiat member interposed between and in alignment with the discharge end of said feed conveyor and the receiving end of said discharge conveyor and adapted to support each article as the articles are transferred from the feed conveyor to the discharge conveyor.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a container delivery conveyor underlying said discharge conveyor, stop means positioning a container subjacent the discharge end of said discharge conveyor, and means operative upon closing of said gate means releasing said stop means.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including second stop means for restraining movement of a penultimate carton on said container conveyor upon release of said first mentioned stop means.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which said stop means include a lever disposed subjacent said can tainer delivery conveyor and in alignment therewith, said lever having an intermediate pivot for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the length thereof, one end of said lever having a container intercepting stop element thereon for stopping and positioning a container in one position of the lever, the other end of the lever having a container engaging portion adapted to raise a container from the container conveyor in another position of the lever.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a turntable on which articles may be indiscriminately deposited, means for rotating said turntable, tangentially extending article guide means in alignment with said discharge conveyor, and means overlying said turntable for urging articles thereon towards and through said guide means.

11. Apparatus for counting and packaging articles comprising a feed conveyor, drive means for said feed conveyor, a discharge conveyor in alignment with and adapted to receive articles from said feed conveyor, drive means for said discharge conveyor, gate means adjacent the discharge end of said discharge conveyor normally intercepting articles deposited thereon, means actuating said gate means to open the same when a predetermined number of articles are on said discharge conveyor, means operatively connected with said gate means for disengaging the drive means for said feed conveyor upon actuation of said gate means.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including a horizontally disposed turntable, means for rotating said turntable, article guide means overlying said turntable directing articles thereon towards and onto said feed conveyor.

1.3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including elements overlying said conveyors defining a plurality of longitudinally extending guide channels to provide for aligned discrete rows of articles along the conveyors.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 including means for adjustably controlling the elfective length of each channel overlying said discharge conveyor whereby a predetermined number of articles may be supported on said discharge conveyor in each channel thereby.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 in which a gate is provided for each channel and in which said drive disengaging means is actuated only upon actuation of all of said gates.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including a microswitch operable upon gate means actuation for disengaging said feed conveyor drive means.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including a container delivery conveyor underlying said feed container, a pair of longitudinally spaced container intercepting devices adjacent said container conveyor, means for actuating one of said drives for positioning a container adjacent the discharge end of said discharge conveyor when said gate means are actuated and actuating the other of said drives in the normal position of said gate means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 5 3-61 

